SI:AM | Small Nations, Big Performances

DAN GARTLAND 

Good morning, I’m Patrick Andres, and I’ll be making a spot start for Dan Gartland today. I’m wondering whether the population of Sunrise, Fla., can handle that much Tkachuk. 

In today’s SI:AM:

🏀 Storm’s dunking phenom

🏈 NFLPA plotting for future

🏀 Congress coming for college heavyweights 

A World Cup on island time

Sam Navarro/Imagn Images

When FIFA signaled that it would expand the World Cup to 48 teams way back in 2017, skepticism was immediate (this is, after all, FIFA). Would the move dilute the power of sports’ most revered tournament and the quality of the games themselves? Was it merely a cynical thumb on the scale to boost booming nations with little soccer tradition, like China, India and Indonesia?

So far, the answer to all three of these questions has been a resounding no, and that is due in no small part to the performance of some of this tournament’s least heralded entrants. This weekend, two of those teams delivered huge shocks. 

⚽ Check out SI’s World Cup Daily

First, on Saturday, Curaçao—a squad that sits in between Montenegro and Guinea in the FIFA rankings and lost 7–1 to Germany in its opener—wrestled an exhilarating 0–0 draw from Ecuador in Kansas City. The hero for the country of 155,000: goalie Eloy Room. Room, a 37-year-old Eredivisie alum who plays for Miami FC in the USL Championship, casually saved 15 shots in one of the greatest goalkeeping performances in World Cup history. The soccer profile of a nation far better known for baseball in the United States continues to rise.

The next day, Cabo Verde—already riding high after drawing Spain 0–0 in its opener—stared down Uruguay in Miami Gardens, Fla. The African side took a 1–0 lead on a 21st-minute goal from midfielder Kevin Pina, then came back from down 2–1 to earn a 2–2 draw and set itself up well for its group-stage finale against Saudi Arabia. Uruguay may be soccer’s ultimate overachiever size-wise—a nation of 3.5 million with two World Cup titles—so there was a certain irony in seeing them humbled by an even smaller fish.CONTINUE PATRICK’S COLUMN ON SI 

 

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👀 The top five …

…most interesting World Cup moments from this weekend (nations of usual sizes edition).

5. Egypt couldn’t have come back against the Kiwis without winger Mo Salah, whose first goal of this World Cup was a stylish one.

4. Côte d’Ivoire winger Simon Adingra will rue this late missed chance against Germany, which opened the door for forward Deniz Undav’s stoppage-time winner.

3. Total football, if not totaalvoetbal, from the Netherlands.

2. American outlets like to fixate on a Japanese cultural norm they should know well by now, but it really is (to steal a British-ism) class that Japan’s fans cleaned up after their team crushed Tunisia 4–0 in the much-hyped 1,000th World Cup match.

1. Spain winger Lamine Yamal’s dazzling goalto open his team’s account against Saudi Arabia—the first of many, no doubt. 

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Published by RJ Hamster

I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis. I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God. I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons. I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA. While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon.. In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987). From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting. Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982. I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects. In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston. In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018. Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia. In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey. As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova. Love and God Bless, Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi

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